SunShark takes to the highway

Motorists can now see the University of Queensland solar car, SunShark, on the road every day - on a large billboard at Riverview, near Ipswich.

The billboard, which can be seen on the Brisbane inbound side of Ipswich Rd, will be in place for the next six months before being moved to another location for a further six months.

Shailer Park-based company Metromedia Technologies donated the billboard space after one of its executives saw SunShark on display at the University of Queensland's Expo-Uni 'open house' in May.

Company chief executive officer Robin Rust said he was keen to encourage innovative projects like SunShark and exposure of this sort could trigger further corporate support from organisations seeking appropriate projects to sponsor.

SunShark project manager Darren Bell said the billboard was 'a fantastic gesture of support and just the stimulus the team needed' as it moved into the next stage of development.

'It's really great to know that we can get this level of community backing as we start to gear up for next year's World Solar Challenge,' he said.

Mr Rust said SunShark showed that Queensland research in solar car technology was equal to the best anywhere.

Metromedia was eager to encourage high technology investment in Queensland because it ultimately led to employment, and supporting SunShark was one way to do this, he said.

Metromedia specialises in the production of large-scale graphics. Typesetting staff at the University of Queensland's Media and Information Services perfected the billboard's design.

For further information on SunShark contact Mr Bell (telephone (07) 3365 3771).